APPENDIX 4
The Repertoire of The Men of the Deeps

The following list is of songs which have been in the repertoire of The Men of the Deeps off and on over the past fifty years. The on-going repertoire is, of course, continuously changing and has been evolving since the choir’s inception in 1966. Some of the songs have become standards, such as Rita MacNeil’s “Working Man,” and some may have entered the active repertoire for a short time – only to be replaced or temporarily set aside to make room for a newer, more relevant song. Ray Holland’s “No. 26, One Million Ton” is a good example of such a song. The entire repertoire of songs that have been arranged for the choir over the past fifty years has grown to include upwards of 100 songs.

Initially, songs which had a direct connection with the mining industry were favoured, and although the group still diligently respects the wishes of those who inspired the founding of Cape Breton’s coal miners choir, over the past five decades the repertoire has expanded to include a much wider variety of themes without abandoning the wishes of the founders of the choir. Songs documenting the history of mining in Canada, many reflecting on the good and the bad times associated with the mining industry in Cape Breton and around the world, have been joined by songs in praise of patriotism and other human emotions – especially music and poetry reflecting one’s feelings for family and country – and in the case of this particular choir, songs reflecting on the beauties of Cape Breton Island. Songs that are a direct reference to the mining industry are marked with an asterisk (*).

*“Aftermath” by Al Provoe

A tribute to those who lost their lives in the 1992 Westray Mine Disaster, composed following a concert in Antigonish on the evening of the day the explosion took place (May 9, 1992). It is usually recited in concert as an introduction to Ron MacDonald’s haunting ballad, “Their Lights Will Shine.”

“De Animal a-Comin’” (Spiritual)

This clever little novelty song arranged by Marshall Bartholomew is classed as a “spiritual.” It entered the repertoire of The Men of the Deeps very early and has particularly entertained the youngsters in the audience for the past five decades.

*“Are You From Bevan?” (Traditional)

Collected by Philip Thomas and published in his Songs of the Pacific Northwest, the song describes the effects of a strike in a small mining town in British Columbia.

“Away From the Roll of the Sea” by Allister MacGillivray

One of several of Allister MacGillivray’s songs praising the beauties of Cape Breton Island. The song is particularly popular with Cape Bretoners away from home.

*“The Ballad of the Frank Slide” by Robert Gard

This song recalls a tragic avalanche in 1903 when the mining town of Frank, Alberta, almost disappeared; the enormous slide changed the shape of Turtle Mountain. The event has spawned several legends.

*“The Ballad of J. B. McLachlan” by Charlie MacKinnon

Charlie MacKinnon’s ballad tells the story of Scottish immigrant James Bryson McLachlan and his involvement with the founding of the miners union movement in Cape Breton.

*“The Ballad of Springhill” by Peggy Seeger

Composed following the 1958 Springhill “Bump.” Peggy was living in England at the time and was moved by the stories of heroism and heartache portrayed by the media.

“The Banks of Newfoundland” (Traditional)

Arranged by Howard Cable this song was one of the earliest four-part male choir arrangements to enter the repertoire of The Men of the Deeps.

*“The Bells of Rhymney” by Pete Seeger & Idris Davis

This song, inspired by a mining disaster in Wales, was first recorded by American folk icon, Pete Seeger using words by the Welsh poet Idris Davis. The song was a favourite of Tom Kent, a former president of DEVCO.

*“Billy, Come With Me” by Leon Dubinsky

Given to the choir in the 1960s by the composer, the song sings of a young boy’s fateful experience in the mine. It often serves as an introduction to Jim MacLellan’s stories of young boys in the mines.

“Battle Hymn of the Republic” by Julia Ward Howe & William Steff

Although an American patriotic song, it never fails to emotionally move an audience.

*“Black is the Coal Dust” by Nipper Oliver

This song sings about the infamous “company store” where credit was both a blessing and a curse. It is one of several songs to come to The Men of the Deeps from the collection of Ron MacEachern.

“Bluenose” by Dave Martins

A song in praise of Nova Scotia’s famous schooner and provides an opportunity for the choir to sing the praises of another major industry in Nova Scotia.

*“Bootlegger Me” by John McIntyre

John McIntyre’s song looks at the lighter side of the illicit activity of selling bootlegged coal. Coal smuggling has persisted to a greater or lesser extent right down to the present day.

*“The Boys of the Rescue Crew” (Traditional)

The song is a tribute to the reality of the dangers of mining, the heroism of the draegermen, and the grief of those who suffer the loss of loved ones in mine disasters.

*“The Canny Miner Lad” by Ian Campbell

This song, originally composed for a television documentary on mining life, is set to a popular British folktune, “The Balquidder Lasses.”

“Cape Breton Dream” by Dennis Ryan

This song, reminiscing of life in Cape Breton, was written by the founder and lead singer of the popular Celtic folk group, Ryan’s Fancy.

“Cape Breton Silver” by Allister MacGillivray

Allister’s whimsical song about mining moonshine in the woods of Cape Breton injects welcomed levity into many concerts.

“Se Ceap Breatainn” (Traditional)

Collected by Helen Creighton; a song that sings of the beauties of Cape Breton Island; the Gaelic pronunciations were mastered phonetically by members of the chorus, and the song has been most often performed as a medley with “Down Deep in a Coal Mine.”

*“The Chain Runner’s Song” (Traditional)

Collected by Ron MacEachern from the singing of Edward Penny. The Men of the Deeps arrangement combines the song with another traditional tune, “When You’re Done Loading Coal,” also collected by Ron MacEachern – this time from the singing of Charlie MacKinnon.

*“Christmas Eve in the Mine” A story by Jim MacLellan

This story, as told to audiences by founding member Jim MacLellan, warrants a place in the list of repertoire of the choir because it has enhanced many concerts over the years – particularly those “Mining the Soul” concerts featuring Rita MacNeil and The Men of the Deeps.

*“Christmas in the Mine” by Paul White

Paul is a former member of the choir and served as one of the choir’s valuable guitarists. The song became a staple of Rita MacNeil’s “Mining the Soul Christmas” tours.

Christmas Trilogy

A trilogy of three popular Christmas songs: “O Christmas Tree,” “Go Tell It On The Mountain” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.”

*“Coal By The Sea” by Gerard MacNeil

Gerard is a former member of the choir and composed the words to this song upon his return from the choir’s tour of China in 1976. The song has been useful in educating audiences to the reality that coal mining in North America had its beginnings on Cape Breton Island. The tune traces its roots to the Irish folk tune, “The Kerry Recruit.”

*“Coal is King Again” by Ray Holland

Composed by Ray Holland to herald DEVCO’s change of direction when falling oil prices forced the crown corporation to reverse its direction and expand coal production in Cape Breton.

*“Coal Miner’s Heaven” by Joe Glazer

Composed and often performed by America’s labour troubadour, Joe Glazer.

*“Coal, Not Dole” by Kay Sutcliffe

Kay was the wife of an Irish coal miner who worked the mines of Kent in England. The song, which laments the closing of England’s coal mine, is arranged as a trio featuring three soloists.

*“The Coal Owner and the Pitman’s Wife” by William Hornsby

A saucy “union” song collected by A. L. Lloyd.

*“Coal Tattoo” by Billy Edd Wheeler

An American songwriter from Boone County, West Virginia, Wheeler wrote this song which explains what happens when coal dust underground brushes an open skin wound.

*“Coal Town Road” by Allister MacGillivray

Long-time friend of The Men of the Deeps, Allister MacGillivray wrote this song recalling memories of his childhood growing up in Glace Bay. The song rivals Rita MacNeil’s “Working Man” as a staple of the choir’s repertoire.

*“Dad’s Old Dinner Pail” (Traditional)

This song likely evolved from a vaudeville tune, “My Dad’s Dinner Pail,” by the Irish/American vaudeville artist Edward (Ned) Harrigan.

*“Danny’s Story” as told by Jim MacLellan

The story of fourteen-year-old Danny Robinson of Springhill was recorded in George Korson’s Coal Dust on the Fiddle and repeated in the O’Donnell publication And Now the Fields are Green. For many years it served as an introduction to Peggy Seeger’s “The Ballad of Springhill.”

*“Dark as a Dungeon” by Merle Travis

Arguably one of the most well-known songs about coal mining, it is rivalled only by Travis’s popular “Sixteen Tons.” “Dark as a Dungeon” was one of the first songs arranged for newly-formed Cape Breton coal miners chorus.

*“Down Among The Coal” (Traditional)

Known to Irish fiddlers as “An giolla ruadh” (“The Red Haired Boy”) and popularized in Canada by John Allan Cameron as “I Am a Little Beggar Man,” The Men of the Deeps arrangement is usually followed by an instrumental version with step dancer, Johnny MacLeod. (When “Papa” John passed away, son John inherited his dancing shoes.)

*“Down Deep in a Coal Mine” (Traditional)

Originally composed by J. B. Geoghegan in 1872 and published as “Down in a Coal Mine” in George Korson’s collection, Minstrels of the Mine Patch.

*“Down in the Hillcrest Mine” by James Keelaghan

Calgary-born folksinger and composer James Keelaghan pays tribute to Alberta’s Hillcrest Mine, site of the worst mining disaster in Canadian history.

“Drill Ye Tarriers, Drill” (Traditional)

Originally composed by Thomas F. Casey, this song pays tribute to the men who built North America’s railways. The Men of the Deeps version was collected by Edith Fowke and sings the praises of the men who built the railway across Newfoundland.

*“Dust in the Air” by Johnny Handel

Johnny Handel is a talented bard from Northumbrian mining district of Northeast England. Getting used to being asked to sing “on the spot” while travelling, The Men of the Deeps have nicknamed this arrangement their “airport song.”

*“Farewell to the Cotia” by Jock Purdham

Another song from the Northumbrian mining district of Northern England. Collected by Karl Dalla and published in his One Hundred Songs of Toil, he records that for reasons forgotten by all the pitmen, the Harraton Colliery in County Durham was always know as the “Cotia” – an abbreviation of Nova Scotia.

“Farewell to the Rhondda” by Frank Hennesey

This song has temporarily slipped from the regular repertoire of The Men of the Deeps. The song, describes coal mining in the district that lines the Rhondda Valley in Wales.

“Forty-Hour Week” by Dave Loggins, Lisa Silver and Don Schlitz

Initially popularized by the popular folk group Alabama, this song is a patriotic tribute to North America’s working people. The Alabama version of the song concludes with a phrase from “America the Beautiful”; The Men of the Deeps conclude the song with a rousing phrase from “O Canada.” The song is crowd-pleaser in both the USA and Canada.

“The Government Store” (Traditional)

Collected by Helen Creighton. A humourous song about the famed New Aberdeen (a district in Glace Bay) government store.

“Home I’ll Be” by Rita MacNeil

One of Rita’s many songs reminiscing about her island of Cape Breton. Often sung by Rita to signal the entrance of The Men of the Deeps during the “Mining the Soul” tours.

“If I Can’t Take the Island with Me” by Aaron Lewis & Shawna Lee MacKillop

This song co-written by Aaron Lewis (formally of the Carlton Show Band) never fails to bring a tear to the eye of the many Cape Bretoners who have left the island in search of work.

“I Love Peking’s Tien An Men”

A song acquired from the Canada/China Friendship Society in 1975 and sung by The Men of the Deeps during the choir’s tour of The People’s Republic of China in 1976.

“Immigrant Eyes” by Roger Murrah and Guy Clark

As performed by The Men of the Deeps, this song becomes a nostalgic tribute to the many immigrants who worked the mines of Cape Breton. Rita MacNeil was so fond of the song that she made it a permanent part of the “Mining the Soul” tours.

*“I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal” by Billy Joe Shaver

Billy Joe Shaver is a Texas country music singer and songwriter. “I’m just a old chunk of coal, but I’ll be a diamond some day” provides welcome comic relief in a concert by The Men of the Deeps.

“I'm Just an Old Broken Down Mucker”

From the Phil Thomas collection, Songs of the Pacific Northwest.

“The Island” by Kenzie MacNeil

Kenzie MacNeil’s popular song introduced in the original popular revue, The Rise and Follies of Cape Breton Island, was proclaimed the official anthem of Cape Breton by the Premier of Nova Scotia in May 1985.

“Isle Royale” by F. W. Gray

A song in praise of Cape Breton Island adopted by The Men of the Deeps early in the choir’s career. F. W. Gray penned the song to the tune of Jan Sibelius’s “Finlandia.”

“I Went To Norman’s” (Traditional)

Collected by Helen Creighton, the centuries-old verses of this Cape Breton song exude a romantic mood that is generally uncommon in mining songs. The choir often combines this song with another song, *“When I First Went to Caledonia,” also collected by Helen Creighton.

*“The Jolly Miner” (Traditional)

Collected by Helen Creighton. One of the many “jolly miner” songs that trace its roots deep into Irish balladry. The song is usually sung today as a medley along with the song, “Jolly Wee Miner Men.”

*“Jolly Wee Miner Men” (Traditional)

Collected by George Korson from Bob Stewart, a native of Glace Bay, while Stewart was attending a convention of the United Mine Workers of America in Washington, DC.

*“Kelly’s Cove” by Mrs. D. J. MacDonald

One of the original songs to emerge from the 1966 folksong contest. Mrs MacDonald’s song is a variant of the British “Blackleg Miners”; a song about imported “scab” labour.

*“Let’s Go Workin’ in a Coal Mine” by Tony Aucoin

Composed by choir member, Tony Aucoin, the song shows off Tony’s penchant for bluegrass and country music.

*“Little Pinkie Engine” by Ida MacAulay and John C. O’Donnell

Another of the songs to arise from the 1966 folksong contest. Relating the story of a small “saddle-type” locomotive which carried coal from Glace Bay’s Caledonia Colliery to the harbour for shipment out of the island in the late 18th century. Mrs. MacAulay’s song was voted best original entry in the 1966 contest. An original tune for the song was composed by director John O’Donnell.

“The Lonely Fiddler” by Freddie Hamood

Freddie was a former member of the choir and a very good violinist. “The Lonely Fiddler” provided a very poignant touch to the National Film Board feature documentary on The Men of the Deeps, released in 1992.

*“Louisbourg” by Allister MacGillivray

For many years The Men of the Deeps have been featured as part of the town of Louisbourg’s summer concert series. The venue for the concerts, Louisbourg Playhouse, is a 220-seat theatre in the round. Modelled on London’s 1599 Globe Theatre, the open-air playhouse was constructed at the Fortress of Louisbourg by Walt Disney Studios for the motion picture Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale. After filming wrapped up, the structure was donated to Louisbourg and relocated to a site just off the main street of the town.

*“The Man With a Torch in His Cap” by Helen C. MacDonald and Leon Dubinsky

Helen MacDonald’s poem was awarded the prize for best general class in the 1966 song contest. Popular Cape Breton songwriter, Leon Dubinsky, composed the music for the song.

“Marco Polo” by Jim Stewart

Jim Stewart’s ballad recalls the glory days of the famous tall ship, Marco Polo. Built and launched in Saint John, New Brunswick, in 1852, it was hailed as the fastest ship in the world during the Golden Age of Sail. It sailed the world for thirty-two years and eventually sank off the coast of Cavendish, Prince Edward Island.

“Mary Ann” (Traditional)

A touching love song collected by Helen Creighton. The Men of the Deeps were somewhat shocked when they were asked not to sing the song in The People’s Republic of China.

“The Mary Ellen Carter” by Stan Rogers

Another song about a famous ill-fated ship composed and made popular by Stan Rogers. Songs about ships provide an opportunity for The Men of the Deeps to explain the use of the word “deeps” as used by fishermen and coal miners.

“Matthew’s Voyage” by Cyril MacPhee, Arnold Sampson & Wayne Touesnard

A song about John Cabot’s famous ship, the Matthew, that reached North America in 1497 and heralded the influx of immigrants to North America.

*“Men of the Deep” by Bruce Guthro

Bruce dedicated this song to his father and all the men who worked the “deep” in Sydney Mines’ Princess Colliery. The song provides an opportunity to explain to audiences the meaning of the work “deeps” – referring to the various coal slopes around Industrial Cape Breton which employed the coal miners who made up the membership of The Men of the Deeps.

*“Miner’s Life” (Traditional)

The tune encouraging union miners to “stand together” derives from the Welsh hymn, “Calon Lân,” and was first collected in Great Britain by A.L. Lloyd who claims that it was likely created by Welsh immigrants in America.

*“Miner’s Lullaby” by Matt McGinn

Collected by Norman Buchanan and Peter Hall and published in The Scottish Folksinger.

*“Miners’ Memorial Hymn” (“Gresford”)

Verse 1 of this hymn was composed by Horatius Bonar and appears in a 1930 edition of the United Chuch Hymnal. This Gresford tune is more recent and was composed by Robert Saint to commemorate the devastating disaster at the Gresford Colliery in Wales in 1934. Verse 2 was composed specifically for The Men of the Deeps by Judith O’Donnell.

*“A Miner and a Miner’s Son” by Tony Aucoin

Choir member, Tony Aucoin, composed this tune in memory of his father; most of the men in The Men of the Deeps followed their fathers and uncles to work in the mines. The story is different today; when it would be unusual for sons to follow their fathers into the mines.

*“A Miner’s Philosophy” by Raymond Dvorak

A novelty song adapted from Raymond Dvorak’s “Sophomoric Philosophy,” a favourite among school-age children who attend concerts by The Men of the Deeps.

*“A Mining Town no More” by Bob Hastings

Bob Hastings composed this song in tribute to the once thriving mining town of Elliot Lake, Ontario.

*“Mining The Devil’s Coal” by Rocky Swanson

One of the few songs in The Men of the Deeps repertoire about the downside of mining.

“My Island, Too” by Rita MacNeil

One of Rita’s very early songs about her beloved island of Cape Breton.

“My Love, Cape Breton and Me” by Bob Quinn

A song in praise of the beauties of Cape Breton written by Halifax arranger, producer and pianist, Bob Quinn.

*“No More Coal” by W. Appermont & R. Gaspercic

Belgium’s famous coal miners choir, Genker Mijnwerkerskoor shared this song about the closing of the mines in Belgium with The Men of the Deeps; translation was provided by Natalie Gaspercic and adapted by Judith O’Donnell.

“Northwest Passage” by Stan Rogers

Having performed with the late Stan Rogers on more than one occasion, The Men of the Deeps delight in occasionally resurrecting one or more of the folk icon’s popular ballades.

*“No. 12, New Waterford” by Ray Holland

Ray Holland chose a popular Salvation Army tune, “He’s the Lily of the Valley,” for the tune of his tribute to the 1973 tragedy in New Waterford’s No. 12 colliery. The ensuing fire started a chain reaction which claimed the life of 28-year old Earl Leadbeater. The grounds above the mine are now known as the Colliery Lands Park.

*“The No. 26 Mine Disaster” by Allister MacGillivray

Allister MacGillivray’s ballad pays tribute to the men who died as the result of an explosion on February 24, 1979. It tells a story of tragedy and strength in a Cape Breton mining community.

*“No. 26, One-Million Ton” by Ray Holland

In his early days with the choir, Ray was not shy about providing his own creations to boost the repertoire of the choir. In 1892, twelve Cape Breton mines collectively produced one-million tons of coal, but the honour of being the first single mine to produce one-million tons in a year eventually went to No. 26 colliery in Glace Bay. The year was 1966, the year of the birth of The Men of the Deeps.

*“Now That the Work is Done” by J. P. Cormier

Multi-talented J. P. Cormier has appeared on stage many times with The Men of the Deeps. The group was delighted when J. P. produced this song lamenting the closing of the mines in Cape Breton.

“O Canada” Canada’s national anthem (Tune by C. Lavallee)

*“The Old Miner” (Traditional)

A song from the United Kingdom lamenting the closing of the mines; often paired as a medley by The Men of the Deeps with another song with routes in England, “Rap Her to Bank.”

*“The Omen” by Marie MacMillan and John C. O’Donnell

Awarded the prize for the best poem depicting a local historic event in the 1966 contest, “The Omen” tells the incredible story of an apparent supernatural happening related to the July 25, 1917, disaster at New Waterford’s No. 12 Colliery.

*“Once We Were Kings” by Elton John

This poignant anthem is from the Broadway musical, Billy Elliot.

*“Plain Old Miner Boy” by Nell Campbell

Nell Campbell submitted this song to one of radio station CJCB’s songwriting contests in the 1950s, using the American song “I’m Just a Plain Old Country Boy” for inspiration.

It received much popularity when the Cape Breton Summertime Revue was still known as the Rise and Follies of Cape Breton.

*“The Pluck Me Store” by Ida MacAulay and Leon Dubinsky

Ida MacAulay’s poem was awarded the prize for the best traditional song in the 1966 contest, and it was set to music by Leon Dubinsky. The song recalls a day in June 1925 when several company stores in Glace Bay, New Waterford and Sydney Mines were burned to the ground.

*“Rap Her to Bank” (Traditional)

Published by Karl Dallas in his One Hundred Songs of Work and Toil, the song tells the story of miners who in the early days of the industry were required to rap (by means of a rapper rope hanging down the shaft) to signal for the cage to be wound up to the bank (surface).

*“Remembering the Bell Island Miners” by Wayne Rostad

Following a visit to Bell Island, Newfoundland, Wayne Rostad, host of the popular CBC television program On the Road Again, wrote a song in tribute to the submarine iron ore miners of Bell Island. In the late 1990s, on a concert tour of Newfoundland at the invitation of Ged Blackmoor’s Folk of the Sea, The Men of the Deeps had the pleasure of meeting Bell Island’s Submarine Miners choral group.

*“Remember the Miner” by Leon Dubinsky

Though it never became a permanent part of The Men of the Deeps repertoire, Leon’s poignant song has been a favourite of several Cape Breton artists and groups for many years.

“Rollin’ Down to Old Maui” by Stan Rogers

Another of Stan Rogers rollicking sea ballads.

“Rise Again” by Leon Dubinsky

Leon Dubinsky’s famous anthem in praise of Cape Breton and its people never fails to please audiences. It’s a particular favourite of school choirs who occasionally join The Men of the Deeps in an on-stage finale.

*“The Scent of the Coal” (“Tha Faileadh A’Ghuail”) by Painter Mor

Learning the correct pronunciation of the Scottish Gaelic has delayed this arrangement from entering the permanent repertoire of the choir. Its lilting Gaelic verses tell of the conflict between mining, farming and modern industrialization on the Port Hood/Broad Cove side of Cape Breton.

*“Schooldays End” by Ewan MacColl

A song about young boys being called to work in the mines which provides The Men of the Deeps the opportunity to relay the story of child labour in the mines – prevalent in the 19th century.

“Sea People” by Allister MacGillivray

Another of Allister’s songs praising sea-faring people scattered around the coasts of Cape Breton Island.

“She’s Called Nova Scotia” by Rita MacNeil

Rita composed this song, reflecting on her beautiful home province, while she was performing at Vancouver’s Expo ’86.

*“A Shirt Tale” by Danny Boutilier

A whimsical poem popular in the Springhill mining community and published by George Korson in his Coal Dust on the Fiddle.

*“Sixteen Tons” by Merle Travis

Travis’s song about the woes associated with the company store is another of those songs which audiences have come to expect during a concert of The Men of the Deeps.

“Song for Cape Breton” by Allister MacGillivray

Written as a tribute to many of Allister’s Cape Breton heroes, “Song For Cape Breton” is another of those original songs made popular in the Cape Breton Summertime Revue.

“Song for the Mira” by Allister MacGillivray

Allister’s most famous song has been translated into Scots Gaelic, French, Dutch and Japanese and has been recorded more than 140 times by soloists and choral groups from all over the world. It has, of course, become a standard in the repertoire of The Men of the Deeps.

*“The Springhill Disaster of 1958” by Maurice Ruddick

Maurice began writing this song while he was trapped underground in Springhill in 1958. Regretfully, some songs in the repertoire of The Men of the Deeps, for one reason or another, do not always make it into the choir’s concert list. This is one of those arrangements that have been “put on hold.”

“The Star Spangled Banner” by Francis Scott Key

National anthem of the United States of America.

*“Sweet Guinevere” by Gordon Lightfoot

This ballad by Canadian folk icon Gordon Lightfoot was released by Lightfoot on his 1978 album Endless Wire.

*“Take Me Home” by Rod Edwards & Roger Hand

This nostalgic ballad was originally composed for the London Welsh Male Voice Choir and remains a favourite, particularly of choir’s in Wales.

*“Their Lights Will Shine” by Ron MacDonald

Composed following the 1992 Westray disaster, this song was first recorded by Ron MacDonald’s own group, Déjà vu. The song never fails to emotionally move audiences. In concert it is often preceded by Al Provoe’s poem “Aftermath.”

*“Thirty-inch Coal” by Mike Paxton

Recalling the days when coal was mined in three-foot seams, this song has become a signature entrance song for The Men of the Deeps.

*“Today We Took a Friend from the Mine” by Paul White

A ballad by former guitarist Paul White inspired by the death of a friend in the mine.

*“Tramp Miner” by Jimmie Rankin

Jimmie Rankin first recorded this song on the Rankin Family album “North Country.”

*“Trapper Boy” by Hugh R. MacDonald

A song about a young boy’s work in the mines. The song inspired MacDonald’s novel, Trapper Boy.

*“Underneath the Sea” by Allister MacGillivray

This song is a tribute to the Cape Breton miners who work the mines which extend several miles under the Atlantic Ocean.

*“The Unknown Miner’s Grave” by Mary Olive Chiasson and John C. O’Donnell.

This poignant poem was submitted as an entry in the 1966 song contest that had been organized and overseen by Helen Creighton and Nina Cohen. Although the poem did not merit a prize in that contest, the poetry seemed to be “crying out” to be put to music. The four-part arrangement was a favourite in the early days of The Men of the Deeps.

*“When I First Went to Caledonia” Traditional

This song, originally sung by Amby Thomas for song collector Ron MacEachern is reminiscent of many Irish/English song types deriving from the medieval pastourelle. It was also collected by Helen Creighton as “I Went to Norman’s.”

*“When You’re Done Loading Coal” (Traditional)

Collected by Ronnie MacEachern from the singing of Charlie MacKinnon, The Men of the Deeps arrangement of this song is combined with another of the songs in Ronnie’s collection, The Chain Runner’s Song.

*“With A Shovel In His Hand” by Lillian Crewe Walsh and John C. O’Donnell

This tribute to the Cape Breton coal miner was a poem written long before The Men of the Deeps came into being. It was set to music because it fulfilled its purpose of introducing the Cape Breton miner to early audiences.

*“Working at the Coal Face” by Dave Webber

Known equally as well in the United States and in the United Kingdom, Dave Webber’s song describes life underground from three different points of view.

*“Working Man” by Rita MacNeil

Unofficial anthem of the working man, The Men of the Deeps first teamed up with Rita MacNeil to sing this song in 1984.

“You’ll be Home Again” by Allister MacGillivray

Allister’s nostalgic dream of home (Cape Breton) is a favourite at home and away.

“You Raise Me Up” by Brendan Graham & Rolf Løvland

This uplifting song is so popular that it has never been out of the charts somewhere in the world. It has been recorded in more than seventeen languages by many of the world’s greatest artists and choir’s.

*“The Westville Miners” by Eugene Johnson

Eugene Johnson was one of twenty-six miners killed in the Westray Explosion in Plymouth, Nova Scotia. Eugene’s song about his fellow miners from Westville and the other New Glasgow towns surrounding the Westray area came to the attention of The Men of the Deeps after that fateful day in May 1992. Shane MacLeod was soloist on this arrangement.

*“Who Are They?” By Al Provoe

Former member Al Provoe was a talented poet as well as an excellent singer. The final line of his poem, “Who Are They?,” was chosen as the title for the publication And Now The Fields Are Green. The poem has become a standard in the repertoire of The Men of the Deeps and is usually recited in concert by Gordon Sheriff.